Method and device for controlling processing of the inside areas of bottles or the like

ABSTRACT

A method and a device for the control of the treatment of the interior of bottles or similar containers, where the introduction of the fluid into the interior occurs by means of a nozzle presenting an exit opening, and a control is performed to determine the presence of a fluid jet in the area after the exit opening and/or the fluid inlet leading to the exit opening.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a method and a device controlling thetreatment, e.g., cleaning, sterilizing, and pre-filling, of the interiorof the bottles for the performance of the method.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Before being filled with a liquid food or other products, bottles orsimilar containers are usually subjected to several preliminarytreatment steps, particularly to a thorough cleaning and optionallysterilization. To improve the microbiological quality of filled liquidfoods, it is known to sterilize the bottles with heat, prior to thefilling operation, to kill any germs that may be present and that aredangerous to the food in question. This occurs, in general, by theintroduction of steam, hot water or superheated water into the bottle tobe sterilized by means of a sterilization installation with spraynozzles, which installation is generally connected as a separate machinebefore a filling machine, or, in individual cases, it is integrated intothe filling machine. However, an incorrect course of the process cannotbe completely ruled out. Thus, as a result of a failure of controlvalves, or insufficient pressure, the killing of the germs in the bottleto be sterilized can be insufficient, or completely absent.

From DE 42 32 323 A1, an installation is known for monitoring thethermal treatment of bottles in a bottle treatment machine. In thisprocess, a first sensor is used, which measures the heat radiationemitted by the external surface of the bottle after the sterilization.In the area of introduction of the bottles, before they reach thesterilization installation, the bottles pass a second sensor, which alsoworks on the principle of a pyrometer. An electronic control unit, towhich the first and second sensors are connected, determines whether thetemperature measured by the first sensor is enough for sufficientsterilization. Such a measuring system requires extensive apparatuses,resulting in high manufacturing costs. In addition, after a time ofexposure to steam of only one to two seconds, the temperature increaseon the external side of the bottles is extremely small, and it can onlybe determined with difficulty by the measuring technology. If thetreatment of the bottles is carried out with gas or chemical means, forexample, ozonizing water, whose temperature is not higher than thetemperature of the bottle, or only insignificantly higher than thetemperature of the bottle, at the beginning of the treatment, then theknown temperature control installation for monitoring the sterilizationprocess is completely unsuited, because in this case there is nodetectable temperature increase of the bottle wall.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The task of the present invention is to indicate, in contrast, areliable and simplified method and a corresponding installation forcontrolling the treatment of the interior of bottles.

This task is solved by performing a control to determine the presence ofthe fluid jet in the area after the exit opening and/or the fluid inletto the exit opening of the spray nozzles.

If the nozzle which delivers the treatment fluid in the operating phaseis at an interval from the bottle mouth, then the fluid jet which exitsout of the nozzle opening in the area between the bottle mouth and thenozzle opening can be directly recognized and controlled by a sensorinstallation. Using a laser beam it is possible, for example, toreliably sense a steam or liquid jet. It should be understood, that thetype of the control installation to be used also depends on the type offluid that is used.

If a so-called “submerged nozzle” is necessary for the treatment of theinterior of the bottle, i.e., if a nozzle exit opening is located, atthe time of the fluid delivery, behind the bottle mouth in the interiorof the bottle, then it is possible to check the fluid inlet to theoutlet opening of the nozzle in a simple manner, to sense the occurrenceof the treatment of the interior, for example, by querying the positionof a flow restrictor which is led in a movable manner in the inlet lineby means of the control installation. This control method isparticularly advantageous in the case of a treatment with a gaseousfluid (sterile air, CO₂), because in this case, the above mentioneddirect determination of the jet could, under certain circumstances,require a more extensive setup of sensors. It should be understood thatthe fluid inlet control is not only limited to application cases withsubmerged nozzles, rather, it is particularly suited in the case of agaseous or steam-phase treatment fluid, and also for nozzles in which adirect jet control would be possible because of an interval between thenozzle exit opening and the bottle mouth.

In the machines used for the treatment of the interior of bottles, forexample, in the rinsing apparatuses that are used in practice, thepredominant approach is to use a multitude of nozzles which aredistributed at regular intervals on a support which can be moved so thatthe nozzles move synchronously with the bottle over a certain section ofthe path, where the bottles are in a position, during the treatment ofthe interior, such that the bottle mouth is generally pointed towardsthe bottom, whereas the fluid jet is introduced from the bottom to thetop toward the bottom of the floor in the interior.

Ideally, every nozzle is associated with a sensor device which advancessimultaneously, for the direct control of the presence of the fluid jetand/or fluid inlet, where, advantageously, the entire treatment processcan be tested over its entire duration. However, with stationary sensordevices which are positioned on the circulation path of the nozzle, asufficient and reliable control of the treatment of the interior ofbottles or similar containers, and at low cost, is possible in manycases of application. Using suitable means, the state of the sensors isthen queried and evaluated at the time of the passage of a nozzle at theplace where the fluid treatment should occur, where the querying by thesensor occurs, for example, as a function of the position of the swingangle of one of the rinsing robots which carries the nozzles, or itoccurs as a result of a time- and/or path-dependent triggering by meansof certain components which are arranged at regular intervals on therinsing apparatus (for example, nozzle or bottle retainer parts) takinginto account the instantaneous speed of a machine. To recognize suchcomponents, the sensors themselves can be used, so that it is notabsolutely necessary to provide additional trigger sensors.

This solution with stationary sensory devices can also be used, withoutany problems, for controlling treatment processes with multiple fluidtypes, optionally successively with different fluid types, for thetreatment with fluid of the bottles. One must only make sure that ineach treatment area, where fluid is to be applied to a bottle, at leastone sensor device is provided for each nozzle circuit path.

As a rule, the treatment of the interior of the bottle is followed bythe filling of the bottle with the intended filling products, forexample, a drink. For this purpose, a treated bottle is transferred fromthe rinsing apparatus to a filling machine. This transfer can occurusing a conveyor belt or star wheels. When the filling of the bottlemust take place under sterile or aseptic condition in the fillingmachine, it is particularly advantageous if the bottles, whose interiortreatment was determined to have been unsatisfactory by the sensors, sothat harmful germs, spores, fungi, etc., can still be present, areremoved from circulation before reaching the filling machine, in orderto prevent infection of the sterile area. This measure is independent ofthe type of sensors used for controlling the treatment of the interior.To remove unsatisfactory bottles from circulation it is possible, forexample, to use a transfer star wheel with selectively controllableretainer devices, for example, grippers, where the control occurs as afunction of the signals of the evaluation installation, whichrecognizes, from querying the sensory devices, the presence of anincorrectly treated bottle, and which generates an error or removalsignal.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Below, embodiment examples of the invention are explained with referenceto the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic vertical section through the external periphery ofa rinsing apparatus with a bottle in the treatment position and acontrol installation according to a first embodiment,

FIG. 2 is a schematic vertical section through the external periphery ofa rinsing apparatus with a bottle in the treatment position and acontrol installation according to a second embodiment, and

FIG. 3 represents a rinsing apparatus followed by a filling machine, ina schematic top view.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THIS PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The bottle 1 represented in FIG. 1 in the treatment position, is held ina position pointing towards the bottom by a gripper 11, for example,made of a plastic, where the bottle mouth 2 points towards the bottom.The gripper 11 is attached, in a manner which allows tilting, to anL-shaped carrier 10, which is attached by its radial internal end to arotor 8 which turns around a rotor rotation axle 9. The position of thetiltable gripper 11 is determined by a fork head 12 which is connectedto it, and which has a slit end which surrounds a control rod 13 whichis bent according to the desired tilt program. A nozzle 4 with a nozzleexit opening 5 is also attached to the rotor 8, below the bottle mouth 2by means of an inlet line 7, in such a manner that a fluid jet 6 whichis sprayed upward out of the nozzle exit opening 5, passes by the bottlemouth 2 in an approximately concentric manner, and it penetrates intothe bottle interior 3, where an interval exists between the bottle mouth2 and the nozzle exit opening 5. The fluid supply, from a rotatingdistributor which is arranged in the rotor 8, not shown, through theinlet line 7 leading to the nozzle exit opening 5, is controlled in aknown manner by a control slit of a rotating pusher, not shown, or byvalves, also not shown.

Furthermore, a control installation 14, represented with a U-shapedhousing 30, is present, where the base of the housing is located abovethe bottle 1, and two vertical legs with different lengths 30 a, 30 bextend downward to the level of the nozzle exit opening 5. Atransmitter-receiver evaluation apparatus 15 is located in the base,which apparatus can emit, through a first light wave guide 16 a, a laserbeam 17 which runs diagonally with respect to the fluid jet 6, andwhich, if not interrupted, is received by a second light wave guide 16b, located opposite, and then it is led back to the receiver arranged inthe evaluation apparatus 15. If the fluid jet 6 is present, the laserbeam 17 is interrupted, or in the case of a fluid, such as sterilewater, which is transparent, it is deflected because of its slope angleα by double refraction in such a manner that it is no longer received bythe second light wave guide 16 b. A slope angle α of 50-60° isparticularly advantageous. The parts which belong to the controlinstallation 14 can either be arranged in a stationary setup, or theycan be each assigned to one nozzle 4, and move with it in thecirculation, for example, by attaching the house of the controlinstallation 14 to the continuously circulating carrier 10.

In the stationary embodiment variant of the control installation 14, thequerying of the receiver input of the evaluation apparatus 15 occurs atthe time when the fluid jet 6 which exits from the exit opening 5 wouldintersect the laser beam 17. If the nozzle 4 delivers, as intended, afluid jet 6, the exiting laser beam 17 is interrupted or deflected as itleaves the light guide 16 a (see FIG. 1). However, if no fluid jet 6 ispresent at that time, the laser jet 17 can pass unimpeded through theslit between the bottle opening 2 and the nozzle exit opening 5, it isreceived by the second light wave guide 16 b, and led to the receiver ofthe evaluation apparatus 15, which in turn issues an error signal forthe removal of the corresponding bottle 1.

The second embodiment example shown in FIG. 2 differs from the previousone (FIG. 1) in that it has another control installation 22, by means ofwhich the fluid supply in the inlet line 7 leading to the nozzle exitopening 5 can be checked. For this purpose, the inlet line 7 has a tubesection 18, in which a flow restrictor 20, with an internal bore 21, isled so it can move axially between two abutments 19 a and 19 b locatedat a distance from each other. By means of a pressure spring 25,pressure is applied to the flow restrictor 20 in the direction towardsthe first abutments 19 a. Two sensors 23 a and 23 b are located on theexternal side of the tube section 18, where the first sensor 23 a isclose to the first abutment 19 a, and the second sensor 23 b is in thearea of the second abutment 19 b. Both the sensors 23 a and 23 b areconnected with a control and evaluation apparatus 24. In the presentembodiment, the tube section 18 is made, for example, of a plastic,whereas the flow restrictor 20 is made of special steel. In this case,proximity sensors can be used as sensors.

If there is no fluid supply through the inlet line 7, the flowrestrictor 20 is applied, as a result of the force applied to it by thepressure spring 25, to the first abutment 19 a, and, as a result, thefirst proximity sensor 23 a is activated. If now, for the process ofrinsing the bottle interior 3 by spraying, fluid is introduced into theinlet line 7, in the direction of the nozzle exit opening 5, then theflow restrictor 20 is lifted away from the abutment 19 a, and it isshifted in the direction toward the second abutment 19 b, because thecross section of the internal bore 21 is smaller than the cross sectionof the bore of the inlet line 7 leading to the tube section 18. If thefluid pressure conforms to the regulation in the inlet line 7, then thethrottle bottle 20 reaches the final position, defined by the secondabutment 19 b, against the resistance of the pressure spring 25, wherethe second proximity sensor 23 b is activated, whereas in this positionthe first proximity sensor 23 a is no longer activated.

If, at this moment, while the process of rinsing by spraying should takeplace, the evaluation apparatus 24 conducts a query to determine whetherthe sensors 23 a and 23 b are activated, then, it is concluded from theactivation of the second proximity sensor 23 b that the nozzle 4 isfunctioning properly, that is a fluid jet 6 is delivered into the bottleinterior 3. On the other hand, if none of the two sensors 23 areactivated at that time, then the flow restrictor 20 is, as a result ofan insufficient fluid pressure, in a position between the two sensors,so that an error signal is issued by the evaluation apparatus 24,because it must be assumed that the fluid jet 6 which flows out of thenozzle exit opening 5, does not reach the bottle floor,, under somecircumstances, because of insufficient pressure, and consequently thebottom is not sufficiently cleaned or sterilized. If the flow restrictor20, at the time of the query, is in the area of the sensor 23 a, thefluid supplied through the inlet line 7 is not sufficient, and, as aresult, an error signal is also issued.

To detect the spray function of the nozzle 4, only one of the twosensors 23 a or 23 b can also be sufficient.

The tube section 18 can, in contrast to the representation in FIG. 2,also be arranged in the vertical section of the inlet line 7.

As in the first embodiment example according to FIG. 1, the sensors 23a, 23 b and the evaluation apparatus 24 can be in a stationary setup, orin a setup so it moves along with the nozzle 4, as desired.

The embodiment example represented in FIG. 2 is particularly well suitedfor the case of a so-called “submerged nozzle”, for example, forapplications in which the nozzle exit opening 5 of a nozzle 4 is locatedin the interior 3 of the bottle during the spray phase. Furthermore,this embodiment is also particularly advantageous if a gaseous orsteam-phase fluid is used for the rinsing of the bottles 1 by sprayingor blowing, for example, sterile air, CO₂, aerosols or salt-containingsteam.

In FIG. 3, a top view of the carousel of a rinsing apparatus isindicated by a circle 30, and a filler carousel is indicated by a circle40. A transfer star wheel 35 is located in-between; on itscircumference, it is equipped with retainer devices, for example,grippers, which can be controlled, and which in themselves are known.The bottles to be treated are led from a conveyor 31 into an inlet starwheel 32, which transfers the bottle to the rinsing apparatus carousel30. Then, the bottles are tilted by the rinsing apparatus in a mannerwhich in itself is known by approximately 180°, until the bottle mouthpoints towards the bottom. In this position, every bottle passes, forexample, through three successive treatment sectors A, B and C, and theinterior of each bottle is subjected to an application of another fluidas it passes through these sectors. To be able to control that thetreatment of the interior of the individual bottles has taken place asintended in the three sectors A, B and C, the stationary arrangedcontrol installation 14 according to FIG. 1 or 22 according to FIG. 2 islocated in each one of the sectors in the circulation track of therinsing apparatus carousel 30, for example. After the bottles leave thelast sector C, and before they reach the transfer wheel 35, they aretilted back to the original position, and then they are transferred tothe wheel.

Removal conveyors 33 or 34, which are used for removing bottles whichhave not been treated as planned, are located on the circulation trackof the transfer star wheel 35, for example, at the places identifiedwith D and/or E, i.e., the individual controllable retainer devices ofthe transfer start wheel 35 can release unusable bottles, in position Dor E, and thus allow their removal.

In this manner it is guaranteed that only bottles that have beenproperly treated are transferred to the filler carousel 40, located, forexample, in a sterile housing. Consequently, a contamination of thefiller and its environment can advantageously be prevented.

What is claimed is:
 1. Method for the control of the treatment of theinterior of bottles or similar containers with a fluid, comprising thesteps of: introducing the fluid into the interior by means of a nozzlewhich has an exit opening, and controlling one of the presence of thefluid jet in the area after the exit opening by a laser beam or thefluid inlet leading to the exit opening by a flow restrictor which canbe moved through the fluid, and whose position is controlled.
 2. Methodaccording to claim 1, wherein the control of the fluid jet or the fluidinlet occurs in a contact-free manner.
 3. Method according to claim 1,wherein said exit opening, at the time of the introduction of the fluidinto the interior of a bottle or a similar container, is at an intervalfrom said inlet opening of the interior, and it is in the area of saidinterval that the presence of said fluid jet is controlled.
 4. Method ofclaim 3, and wherein said fluid jet is controlled by optical means. 5.Method of claim 4, wherein said optical means comprises a light beam. 6.Method according to claim 5, wherein said light beam is oriented at anangle a which differs from 90°, diagonally with respect to said fluidjet.
 7. Method according to claim 1, and the step of detecting the fluidmovement in the inlet line before the exit opening by a flow restrictorwhich is led in a movable manner in the inlet line, and whose positionis controlled.
 8. Method according to claim 1, and in the case of theabsence of a fluid jet or fluid inlet, issuing a signal by a controlinstallation.
 9. Method according to claim 1, wherein for the purpose oftreatment of their interior, holding the bottles or similar containersin a position such that their inlet opening points to the bottom, andthe fluid jet flows in the direction from the bottom to the top in theinterior.
 10. Method according to claim 1, wherein it is used with acontinuously rinsing apparatus and wherein the treatment with the fluidsterilizes the interior of a bottle or similar container.
 11. Method ofclaim 10, and wherein said rinsing apparatus has continuous circulation.12. Method according to claim 1, wherein when the control of thetreatment of the interior of a bottle or similar container indicatesthat the result of the treatment is insufficient, the step of removingthe corresponding bottle and not leading it to the subsequent fillingprocess.
 13. Method for the control of the treatment of the interior ofbottles or similar containers with a fluid, comprising the steps of:introducing the fluid into the interior by means of a nozzle which hasan exit opening and controlling one of the presence of the fluid jet inthe area after the exit opening by a laser beam or the fluid inletleading to the exit opening, and the step of detecting the fluidmovement in the inlet line before the exit opening by a flow restrictorwhich is led in a movable manner in the inlet line, and whose positionis controlled.
 14. Method of claim 13, and when subjecting the interiorof a bottle or other container several times during a treatment cycle tothe application of a fluid, the step of utilizing fluids of differenttype.
 15. Device for the control of the treatment with a fluid of theinterior of bottles (1) or similar containers, comprising in combinationa nozzle (4) having an exit opening (5) for the introduction of thefluid (6) into the interior (3), and a control installation (14, 22)including sensors (16 a, 16 b, 23 a, 23 b) for monitoring the presenceof the fluid jet (6) in one of the area after said opening (5) or thefluid inlet leading to said exit opening (5) by a flow restrictor whichcan be moved through the fluid, and whose position is controlled. 16.Device according to claim 15, wherein said sensors (16 a, 16 b, 23 a, 23b) operate in a contact-free manner.
 17. Device according to claim 16,wherein said sensors are one of light barriers (16 a, 16 b) or proximitysensors (23 a, 23 b).
 18. Device according to claim 15, and including abottle conveyor track, and, wherein the bottles (1) are movedcontinuously by means of a transport installation (10, 11), and saidsensors (16 a, 16 b, 23 a, 23 b) are arranged stationary on said bottleconveyor track (30).
 19. Device according to claim 18, wherein saidcontrol installation (14, 22), as it passes by said sensors (16 a, 16 b,23 a, 23 b) performs, through a passing bottle, signal query from saidsensors, and said control installation issues an error signal in thecase of absence of a one of a fluid jet or a fluid inlet.
 20. Deviceaccording to claim 19, and a bottle removal installation (35) which, asa result of an error signal, can be actuated for the removal of a bottlewhich has not been treated or which has been treated insufficiently andwherein said bottle removal installation (35) is arranged in an areabefore a filling machine (40), whereby said untreated or insufficientlytreated bottle is removed at said bottle removal installation instead ofbeing filled by said filling machine.
 21. Since according to claim 20,wherein said filling machine is a sterile filling machine.
 22. Deviceaccording to claim 18, and a transport installation (10, 11) for tiltingthe bottles for the treatment of their interior from a vertical positioninto a position where the bottle mouth (2) essentially points to thebottom, in which position the mouth (2) is arranged concentrically withrespect to said nozzle (4) directed upward.
 23. Device according to 22,wherein said nozzle (4) and the mouth (2) of a bottle (1) are separated,during the treatment of the interior, at an interval, and, in the areaof said interval, the presence of a fluid jet (6) can be detected by atleast one said sensor (16 a, 16 b).
 24. Device according to claim 23,wherein said one sensor comprises a light beam (17) which intersects thefluid jet (6).
 25. Device according to claim 24, wherein said onesensors (16 a, 16 b) are arranged in such a manner that said light beam(17) intersects the fluid jet (6) which is at an angle (α) which isdifferent from 90° C., and diagonal with respect to the direction ofconveyance.
 26. Device according to claim 15, wherein said sensors (16a, 16 b) are arranged on a housing (30) which has two parallel legs (30a, 30 b) which are separated from each other, and the bottles can be ledbetween said legs.
 27. Device according to claim 26, wherein saidhousing (3) is essentially U-shaped, and said legs (30 a, 30 b) havedifferent lengths.
 28. Device according to claim 15, and a conveyortrack of the nozzles (4), in the area of the fluid inlet (7), and saidsensors (23 a, 23 b) are arranged for the sensing of the fluid inlet,and wherein, in a section (18) of the fluid inlet (7), a flow restrictor(20) is arranged which can be moved through a fluid stream, and whoseposition can be determined by said sensors (23 a, 23 b).
 29. Deviceaccording to claim 28, wherein said flow restrictor (20) is made of ametallic material, and the fluid inlet line (7) in the area (18) of saidflow restrictor (20) is made of a nonmetallic material.
 30. Deviceaccording to claim 28 or 29, wherein said nozzle (4) is submerged duringthe treatment of the interior in the mouth (2) of the bottle (1).